By Jaroslaw Adamowski
June 26 – Poland’s leading chemical company Grupa Azoty is planning to become the majority shareholder in top tier club Pogon Szczecin. The company is currently the club’s main sponsor and is in negotiation with the municipal authorities of Szczecin to buy the club.
The latest announcement follows the signing of a deal which extended the ongoing sponsorship between Pogon and Grupa Azoty into the 2015/2016 season.
The two partners have been collaborating for three years, and in past seasons the company has allocated between PLN 2 million (€480,000) and PLN 3 million (€720,000) per year to Pogon as the side’s main sponsor, as well as financing some of the players’ contracts. Under the sponsorship deal, Grupa Azoty’s logo features on club shirts.
“The negotiations between Grupa Azoty and Pogon Szczecin, regarding the purchase of shares, are ongoing,” said club spokesman Krzysztof Ufland.
Meanwhile, the city authorities are planning to modernise Pogon’s outdated stadium, increasing its capacity and facilities to enable Pogon to host home games in the Europa League. The cost of the project is estimated at PLN 50 million (€12 million). Pogon plays in the country’s top tier Ekstraklasa.
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